It Happened on Vashon

My Vashon Island life, chronicled on and off since 2006. Family, friends, travel, open water swimming, chickens, honeybees, foraging, growing stuff, practicing PR. A very good life in a beautiful Pacific NW setting.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Entrepreneurial son

Lil Zach was getting very crafty while clipping greens for wreaths n swags. He asked if he could sell one to our neighbor--I told him he could go to one of five houses up the hill and to set a fair price of $3.

He was back in three minutes, empty handed with dollar signs in his eyes. He immediately wanted to make and sell more. I told him to wait til Saturday and we'd make a little retail outpost and that would give him time to produce some inventory.

The Friday before, he'd gotten his little buddy Cameron excited about the money-making prospect. Cam wanted to sell soups or ice cream--but his mom thought he was just pipe dreaming so we went it alone. Zach and I secured a spot on private property (with permission!) fronting the North End ferry dock; it was around noon.

Seven cute little evergreen swags were accompanied by a cute little salesman, wearing a fluffy santa hat hoisting a $3 sign. He had a little chair and darling display, and sipped hot chocolate from a commuter cup while waving to would-be customers. He was sold out in an hour!

With cash in pocket and an ear-to-ear grin, Zach felt good he'd seen through a project from start to finish. Now he had his own shopping cash, too.

I ended up catching a bug Sunday night, but it was a great weekend with this happy little guy stoked on entrepreneurism.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Lest I forget

Sometimes you get a memory in your head and it makes you chuckle.

Well, it might not make YOU chuckle, but when I thought back it was pretty funny.

1985. Holidays. I was a Punk Rock Girl in 10th grade long before the faux punk Avril Lavigne was even a glimmer in her mommy's uterus. I lived in the Bay Area at the time, but holiday'd in Coronado--my native land. Stayed at the Fowler stead on J. Grandpa was a retired USMC colonel with a burgeoning career as a real estate broker. VERY conservative.

While in the bay area, I struck up an interesting Pen Pal in Nado who also happened to be the Halloween candy thief that traumatized me one year in 1977. His name was Brent aka Twiggy, and he was two years older than me. Punk Rock Boy. When, in 1985 I told him of the incident, he was very apologetic--and obviously he and I developed a little high school crush thing.

When I came to visit Coronado that holiday, Brent was cool. We listened to subhumans, et al and cruised around in his old car. He made me mix tapes. It was a sweet crush. My grandpa didn't like Brent. At all.

I think Brent had come with me to my friend Meredith's. We were with a whole group of Nado friends. Kassie was there. My grandpa George got all bent when I wasn't home right on time and he showed up at Meredith's and plucked me away!

He felt bad about his actions the next day and slipped me a $20, not before I'd already gotten to his Ronald Reagan autographed desk photo, where I'd permanently erased a moustache into his top lip.

In the end, all was well. Brent went on to have two tumultuous years when I caught up with him again in '87. I had a boyfriend, so I didn't pick up where I left off. My Coronado friends were heading off to college, and I was living downtown going to school so things were different.

My greatest wish is to get Kassie, Mer, and Me together for a wild night once more. The All Class reunion in July was much too frenetic. It's been a long time coming since that '85 holiday visit was interrupted!

Thursday, December 06, 2007

My uncle Rich loves the Chargers this much!

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Someone's in the kitchen with David

For most of my adult life, I have held the kitchen duty and ensuing meal making. For the first time I have yielded this duty, now in the capable hands of David. No male in my life could REALLY cook like this, and you can't count your X who was fond of making an annual superbowl chili or jambalaya, or those "farter starter" stir fries (you know--onions, green bells, cabbage, swimming in soy-sesame).

He has given himself the household nickname the -kitchen nazi-- and only at times does this ring true. He's not mean and arrogant about it--but habitual and militant, yes he is. Okay, maybe he's a little poo-poo about my electric stovetop and my knives; his German and Japanese beauties live on his mounted magnetic rack, FAR from the zip codes of my paltry inferior knives, which are now gathering dust in my drawers. The ALL CLADs trump my Cuisinart pans. His kitchenaid mixer is first in command to my kitchenaid food processor. Like me, some of my implements are standing down from their duties for the first time in a while. A refreshing change!

D can spin silken gold from a sow's ear. Leftovers--all of which are scoured post-meal time and saved--become the next night's masterpiece, in a totally new incarnation. My spaghetti sauce has become soup. Meats end up in a new creation. Fats are stashed. Stocks and curries are made and used in short order. It is awesome.

Cooking for the man gives me a complex. Occasionally, I do it! I used to think I knew my way around a kitchen. Now I am the observer. It's like watching the Food network live, at home. Oh--to underscore that feeling, there hangs a photo in the kitchen of David, in chef's jacket, with celebrated chef Martin Yan. D assisted on the set of his televised cooking show; signed on it is Yan's testament to D's pro style and gentlemanly nature.

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Wet!

As if the snow weren't enough, the rain pounds Seattle! The theme of the yard in back: "A river runs through it!" Driving to work was pretty exciting to say the least. I was a lucky SUV driver permitted to pass through about 2 ft of standing water on Fauntleroy. I was sure I'd be roof surfing but I got through, only to face bumper to bumper traffic on the merge to 99 north. I had to pee, like, really bad. I eyed the car for plastic bags. The dam was going to burst. There I was, having polished a 16 ounce commuter cup of coffee on the ferry trip in. What was I to do, dressed up, nylons, heels, with the crisp white blouse tucked in and all?!

I will never tell...but if you've ever been in that situation--where ya can't pull over, it's a humbling human moment! LOL. Thank God for options and a sense of humor.

Saturday, December 01, 2007

Snow!

Just as a cord of wood is being dropped off at the house and the kids are playing in the park with Trish and the twins, the snow begins to fall--first in flurries, then in flakes! Yowza. It made for quick work of wood stacking and provided a peaceful, pretty afternoon. The wet flakes melted quickly, but then we were treated to more the next day. It didn't last long, either. The cross countries are ready for the sticky stuff! First snow down, more to come!

About Me

North End Vashon Islander and mom to two awesome young men. Blissfully married to David, the multi-talented avenger. Making my own living, not spending other people's money. Living on Vashon Island, pop 10,000, land of lawyers, naturalists, artists, foodies, and so many backstories. Wanna read some?